Amid internal chaos, AIADMK leaders meet Rajnath Singh 'to maintain friendly relations with Centre'

New Delhi: A delegation of AIADMK leaders on Wednesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the backdrop of crucial political developments in Tamil Nadu. AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, however, said the meeting was aimed at developing a cordial relationship with the Centre, and that the southern state’s political affairs were not discussed with the Union minister. [caption id=“attachment_3957229” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File images of O Panneerselvam and Palaniswamy. PTI[/caption] The party delegation had also met Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Arun Jaitley on Thursday. The move comes in the wake of the recent merger of the two factions of AIADMK led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and O Pannerselvam respectively. “We are meeting the Union ministers to maintain a friendly relationship with the Centre and seek the pending funds for projects,” Thambidurai, who headed the delegation, said. He maintained that there were no discussions on the political developments in the state. Before the merger of the warring factions of AIADMK, OPS’ supporter and Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan had quashed speculations about the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi meddling with the internal affairs of the AIADMK. However, the emergence of TTV Dhinakaran as a common rival with the support of around 23 AIADMK MLAs and the continuous visits of party leaders from the merged factions to various Union ministers have kept the rumour mills running. Meanwhile, the opposition DMK in the state, is pushing for a confidence vote after 19 MLAs supporting Dhinakaran withdrew support to the chief minister.